Jets News

GAME DAY: Jets open short home stand vs. Kings

1:00pm CT - TV: TSN3; Radio: TSN 1290

DENVER, Colorado - After a road trip with stops in Arizona and Colorado produced three of a possible four points, the Winnipeg Jets will enjoy some home cooking for the next few days, beginning with Sunday's match up with the Los Angeles Kings.

The Jets (7-7-2) have played five of their seven games in November on the road, and have gone 4-2-1 in that span. The overtime loss came at the hands of the Avalanche on Friday night.

"Three out of four (points) on the road is great for a team like us right now," said Nikolaj Ehlers, who had two assists in the loss.

"We're playing really good, we're playing the full 60 minutes, and we're working hard. We just have to keep on doing it."

After spending the last three games on a line with Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele, Ehlers was moved to the wing with Nic Petan and Blake Wheeler in the second period.

"I think their first shift out together, or maybe their second, they scored the goal that got us back into the game," said head coach Paul Maurice. "I think it's important that when we're playing this hard that you keep trying to find ways, especially when you're down, give guys a different look and a different opportunity. When Nic went with Nik and Blake, they showed some speed."

The Jets begin a quick two-game home stand beginning with Sunday's matinee against the Kings, who at 7-8-0 sit fourth in the Pacific Division.

Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead into the third period against Ottawa Friday night, only to have the Senators tie the game with just under four minutes remaining in regulation. Mark Stone's second of the season sealed the Senators win with 6.5 seconds left on the clock.

The loss was the second in a row for the Kings since opening their current five-game road trip with a 7-0 win in Toronto on Nov. 8.

Sunday's game will be the first meeting of the season between the Jets and the Kings. It will also conclude the second of three consecutive weekends that Winnipeg plays three games in four nights.

"Rest is a weapon right now. We've been on quite the world tour here, playing a lot of hockey with a lot of travel," said captain Blake Wheeler. "We need to get our rest and come back excited about playing again on Sunday."

LATE HITS: Tyler Myers left Friday's game against Colorado with a lower-body injury after the second period. With the team traveling on Saturday, no update was given on the defenceman's condition.

Myers missed five games with a lower-body injury sustained on Oct. 28 against Buffalo, before returning in the 8-2 win over Dallas on Nov. 8.

- Mitchell Clinton, WinnipegJets.com

JETS GAME NOTES

Today's Game

The Winnipeg Jets return home to play the Los Angeles Kings in the first of two home games this week…Winnipeg earned three of four points in last week's two-game road trip and are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss against the Colorado Avalanche Friday night…Blake Wheeler (1g, 1a) and Nikolaj Ehlers (2a) had a pair of points against Colorado, while Mark Scheifele scored the other goal…Los Angeles plays their fourth game of a five-game road trip today and have lost two in a row - Nov. 10 at MTL 4-1 and Nov. 11 at OTT 2-1…The Jets entertain the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday night before embarking on a five-game, nine-day road trip.

Case of the Sundays

The Jets are 0-3-0 in Sunday games this season, including 0-2-0 in Sunday afternoon games at home…Winnipeg plays on nine consecutive Sunday's from Oct. 23-Dec. 18, five of which are Sunday afternoon home games…The Jets next Sunday home action is Nov. 27 against the Nashville Predators at noon.

Pacific Division

Today's game is only Winnipeg's third game against a Pacific Division opponent this season…The Jets lost 3-0 to the Edmonton Oilers at the 2016 Tim Hortons Heritage Classic in Winnipeg and beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on Thursday night…After the Jets play the Kings today, they won't play a Pacific Division team again until Dec. 1 when the Oilers make their second trip to Winnipeg this season…Last season, the Jets went 12-8-1 against Pacific Division teams.

No. 1 Contributor

Mark Scheifele's goal on Friday night increased his season total to 20 points (10g, 10a) in 16 games, which leads the NHL and is two points more than Connor McDavid's 18 points…Scheifele is the first player in the NHL this season to reach 20 points…He's on a five-game point streak (5g, 6a)…Since Mar. 1 of last season, Scheifele leads all NHLers with 24 goals and 47 points in 37 games...He has 12 multi-point games during that time.

Goal Scoring Duo

Patrik Laine leads the NHL with 11 goals this season, while teammate Mark Scheifele is second in the league with 10 goals…The last time a pair of teammates finished the season leading the NHL in scoring was in 1995-96 when Pittsburgh Penguins Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr had 69 and 62 goals, respectively…While Jagr is still playing in the NHL at 44 years old, Scheifele was three years old when the 1995-96 season ended and Patrik Laine was born two years later in 1998.

Team Quick Hits

- For the first time this season, the Jets have earned at least a point in three consecutive games.- After going six games without a power play goal, the Jets have four power play goals in their last three games.- The Jets are 2-2 in overtime games this season and are one of eight teams in the NHL this season that haven't played in a shootout.- Winnipeg has played on the power play a league-leading 103:23, with 100:08 of that being 5-on-4 power play time…The Jets also have a league-best 27 second period power plays.- Of the 12 goals the Jets have scored in the second period this season, seven have come in the last three games.